Regulator profile · AE
DFSA — Dubai Financial Services Authority
Tracked byBrokerlist Editorial · Independent review teamUpdated
The Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) is the independent regulator of financial services within the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) free zone. It applies a Anglo-American common-law framework distinct from the rest of the UAE.
Brokers in United Arab Emirates accepting residents under DFSA- Jurisdiction
- Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), United Arab Emirates · DIFC-only.
- Founded
- 2004
- Mandate
- Established under DIFC Law No. 1 of 2004. DFSA licenses investment firms operating from the DIFC, supervises conduct and capital adequacy, and operates dedicated tribunals for disputes within the centre.
- Consumer protection
- No statutory compensation scheme equivalent to the FSCS. Client-money rules require segregation; conduct is governed by the DFSA Conduct of Business module. Retail-client protections include suitability and risk-disclosure requirements.
- Retail leverage caps
- No fixed retail cap; DFSA-authorised firms set leverage subject to the General Module suitability requirement and the Conduct of Business risk-warning rules. Most DFSA-licensed CFD providers offer up to 1:30 to 1:100 to retail clients in line with international norms.
- Public register
- DFSA Public Register lists every authorised firm and individual within the DIFC, including authorised activities, key persons and any current sanctions. Open register ↗
- Dispute resolution
- The DIFC Courts hear most disputes within the free zone, with the option of arbitration via DIFC-LCIA. There is no consumer-style ombudsman with binding-award powers.
- Editor notes
- A DFSA licence applies only inside the DIFC; firms targeting retail clients elsewhere in the UAE typically also need a Securities and Commodities Authority (SCA) licence. Be careful not to confuse DFSA with the older SCA mainland regime.
Brokers we track with a DFSA licence
No brokersNo tracked broker currently holds a DFSA licence in our database.